Sunday, October 10, 2010

I need some ideas, so I thought I'd ask everyone for some help. What I'm looking for is a term (or terms) for a psi-powered special operative/soldier, like the Lensmen. I'd prefer if the term were "generic," which is to say, isn't some weird made-up word (like "Jedi"), but I'm open to that possibility if the word is sufficiently evocative. Bonus points to anyone who comes up with a term that works in or riffs off the classic SF term "esper."

If someone comes up with a term I like, I'll give them credit and some other goodies to show my appreciation.

Isn't part of the flavor of a Lensman/Jedi/Green Lantern/Space Knights idea that what they are is at least partially defined by the order they belong to? They're not just generic operatives with psi-powers - they've been chosen by fate/destiny/genetics/psychological disorder/whatever to be members of an elite corps of galactic protectors. They're not just soldiers or guards or beat cops, they're knights or samurai or special forces elite soldiers.

I used the term "Jankers" for psi operatives in a Traveler campaign once.

Jankers is a British military term for minor official trouble, and in my campaign people in the military with psi talents were considered trouble and shuffled around to be as far as possible from any political harm they could do to their superiors. They were forever "on jankers," so in time the name stuck. It made a great background for a team of travelers.

One could always go with Vespers...has the "Esper" element, also the Roman god of evening, the planet Venus, religious services references, a Bond girl and a cocktail...hard to go wrong there.

Psykers is commonly used in Warhammer40k. Drawing on that, I think there are a lot of terms from that game that could fill the roll: Adepts, Inquisitors, Pariahs, Harlequins, Reapers, Assassins, Mandrakes, Seers...

If they are commando-types that rely on stealth and getting behind enemy lines then how about: Ghost Ghost-walkerPsicommandoInfiltraorQuiet MenShadows

If they are a main battle unit that uses psionics for coordination on the battlefield:TemplarBretherenVanguard-soldier or just Vanguard

If they are wizard types that use psionics to mass effect or for interrogation or otherwise avoid direct contact with the enemy:Psionic Adept/Psychic AdeptMind masterMentatMentalist

("Ghost" and "Templar" should be credited to Cyber-Dave, creator of the Land Of Nod alternate setting for the Star Wars Saga Edition rules. Link: http://community.wizards.com/thelandofnod/wiki/The_Land_of_Nod_Campaign_Guide_(For_Star_Wars_Saga_Edition) )

Noemancer (noh-eh-mancer)Noe/Noetic/Noema are all terms relating to thought, cognate with Nous or universal thought- mental processes seperate from sensation. Mancer derives from mantike or 'divination' and has been corrupted in popular usage to mean practicioner of an art. Technically, the suffix should be - ologist but mancer has a better ring to it. Of course, you could try it with some variations of nous: noueticologist, nousologist... but they seem to dry.

Esper is good but - all apologies to haruhi - doesnt really work in this context. It's a little too general; it describes too wide a range of abilities.

There are some good suggestions here, but from the original post it was mentioned that they are Special Operations soldiers with psychic powers, which implies a formal military group. Real life Special Operations groups (in the U.S. at least) have that term shortened to SpecOps. Thus, one train of logic suggests EsperOps (already mentioned), ESpecOps, and SperOps as they all have similarity to real life nomenclature. Alternatively, militaries love their acronyms, so an ESP Special Ops unit could be referred to as the ESO, which could be expanded to ESO Corps, or ESO Brigade, or something like that. Such soldiers might just be referred to as "Esos."

Beware the dreaded "Esperantos" half mind-soldier, half Vaquero, they ride their chrome, rocket-powered mounts through the universe, chasing down interplanetary outlaws, and keeping peace on the galactic borders.

Grasper(s), possibly with an appropriate noun (mind, star, sky) based on their activities. It resonates with "Esper" without copying it, and avoids much of the cliche surrounding other names while still being something actual people might call them. I also like the image it projects of a psychic cop seizing things with his mighty brains..

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